


Fear

by Isala_Vhenan



Series: Dragon Age Oneshots [14]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fear of Death, Gen, Other, depictions of pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:01:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24684274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isala_Vhenan/pseuds/Isala_Vhenan
Relationships: Inquisitor/Solas (Dragon Age), Lavellan/Solas (Dragon Age), Mage Lavellan/Solas
Series: Dragon Age Oneshots [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718812
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Fear

“Are you afraid to die?”

Isala turned to look at Cole, his gaze soft but steady, eyes wide with curiosity, a hint of pain behind the gentle blue. _He cared, he wanted to help._ She offered him a small smile, the green fire slicing and rushing through her veins like the mark intended to consume her from the inside out. She breathed through it, and asked him a question in answer.

“What do you see?” Cole looked down for a moment, fingers meeting in a nervous lock as he spoke quietly, voice trembling.

“It burns hot, like blue fire, and bursts from within. Wild, and hungry to tear you apart like a memory or a curse. It’s all too much and it needs to get out, like so much inside you. You can’t fault it; you know it’s only doing what comes naturally and yet you’re afraid, like a halla in a wildfire, a wolf separated from the pack. Pain upon pain upon guilt upon regret; you know he’s watching and that makes it all worse. Feeling him everywhere almost seems to make it hungrier. A craving you can’t cater, a thirst you can’t sate, there’s so much more you want to do and it’s all falling apart, his mistake an abyss you can only fall into. I’m sorry, I-I shouldn’t have asked.” 

Hearing it put into words almost made her feel less like she was on the edge of an abyss, teetering on the edge with nothing to steady her. Memories of a gentle hand placed in the small of her back, a warmth that almost rivaled the burning pain of the mark. _She wanted it._

“Like the mark, you’re only doing what comes naturally Cole, as am I in fighting it.” The young man still looked distressed, staring into her, desperate to help and confused because he didn’t know how to. “It’s alright Cole, truly. Just--” 

The mark flared and the ripping pain cut through her; rippling out as though to slowly pull her apart. She stopped a moment to breathe, holding the limb, this foreign appendage, close against her body as though to quench the pain. “Just stay beside me, if you would.” Cole moved closer, placing a hand on her shoulder as she panted, the rest of the party turning back to Isala in concern. 

As she stared down at the molten green light that had once been her hand she thought to herself:

_I’m afraid._

_I’m afraid I’m afraid I’m afraid I’m afraid._

_Please Creators, I don’t want to die._

She stood upright again, pushing down the pain as she had done all her life, turning the corners of her lips up to reassure these people who by some miracle cared for her, heart aching as much as the mark for the one who’s love she still desperately wanted. 

“I’m alright.” 

_I’m afraid._


End file.
